


What We Do in Kageshima

by Archerdiana



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, Multi, Poly, Polygamy, Spooky sometimes, That's it, Youkai are useless dramatic assholes, crackfic, horror-ish?, inspired by What We Do in the Shadows, mockumentary, that's the plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:07:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22336789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Archerdiana/pseuds/Archerdiana
Summary: Kagome always knew she had bad luck. But when her dream job as a linguist turns into a nightmare expedition, it's a little too much. The worst part? She's stuck in an island between pushy coworkers and pompous youkai that speak a cryptic language. Oh, and she banged their leader.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/Sango, Higurashi Kagome/Sesshoumaru, Naraku/Sango (InuYasha)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 45





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> You know that vampire speech post on tumblr? it had been bouncing around in my head until it spiraled out of control + some suggestions of What We Do in The Shadows AU. The original idea of having Kagome trailing overdramatic youkai became its own complicated thing. There will still be sillyness and erotica but a plot has unfortunately taken over.
> 
> I'm not a linguist or a scientist so prepare for a lot of inaccuracy and just laugh along.

It was a grey morning at the port. Heavy mist was sweeping in from the ocean carrying its salty scent into the harbor, and over the jungle. Fukuoka was usually a lively city, of beaches, sunlight and colorful shops. With the typhoon so close, one would believe otherwise.

Kagome shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “So, is this hanyou guy going to show up?” She asked again, for what felt like the tenth time.

Miroku nodded. “Inuyasha is a good friend. Human enough to understand time and appointments, but too youkai to respect them.” He said, and winked at her. “Besides, he’s the only one who can get us to the island.”

Next to her, Hojo scoffed and crossed his arms. “Half an hour late is unacceptable. The typhoon is going to catch us if he doesn’t hurry up!” He whined, in his posh, pampered accent.

Kagome tried not to glare at him. It was only at his insistence they were sailing on bad weather -in fact, it was his fault they were even going to the youkai island at all.

It all had started that spring, when Kagome fell down a well while looking for her old cat Buyo- and no, the cat hadn’t been at the bottom of the well either. She had broken two ribs in her efforts and had to be taken to the hospital.

On a strange twist of fate, she’d met her idol, Dr Yamamoto Kaede, in the waiting room. The woman was a legend among linguists for helping recognize the existence of the yokai population, and the first that attempted to crack their language. But accompanying Kaede was her nephew, Hojo. He was studying as a linguist too, taking advantage of his family’s name to secure a position for himself.

Hojo was taken with Kagome from the minute he saw her -she still couldn’t guess why. The boy had tried everything, from calling her everyday, to giving her jewelry, to offering her rare manuscripts she had obviously had to reject.

Finally he’d dangled a prize Kagome couldn’t turn down: a paid internship to study the youkai language in Kageshima- their island stronghold. It was an expedition with impressive funding; a national peace effort to bring in the youkai population as citizens of Japan. They would go down in history as the linguists that bridged the gap, and decoded their language.

Kagome had accepted on the spot.

‘Not worth it.’ She realized now.

A month before departure Kaede’s health had taken a turn for the worst. Her voice broke during her speech of resignment from the expedition. “It is time for a new generation to reach for the stars. I am confident they will succeed.” She had said on live television.

A few of the famous academics had dropped out.

Then came the pictures from the island -the few the drones could send back before being struck down by a- by something. The photographs revealed a backward, unsanitary place taken over by wild grasses.

More people quit -including those at leadership. Suddenly everyone was jumping ship and distancing themselves from the expedition bound for failure. It had fallen so low, Hojo was now head of the linguistic team. At some point it was decided everything would be recorded to create an educational documentary. There in came Miroku and his film crew.

‘I should have quite then.’ Kagome realized, too late. Hojo had stopped his rambling as everyone else fell quiet. In the distant fog, they could make out a man riding a bicycle in their direction.

He got stranger as he approached. A young hanyou, dressed head to toe in traditional garments of strident red. He had a tangled mane of silver hair that reached his hips. Not to mention the puppy ears on his head that everyone was trying really hard not to stare at.

He stopped a few feet away, let the bike fall to the floor, and walked towards the group of people warily.

“Good morning Inuyasha! How great to see you! It’s me, Miroku!” He said, stepping forward with arms outstretched.

‘That’s not how you approach a scared dog.’ Kagome thought to herself.

She felt kind of pleased that Inuyasha switched to an aggressive stance, ears flat against his head. “ _Aye_.” He said in a gruff voice. “ _Forsooth_.”

Kagome perked up. He’d only said two words, but he was mixing youkai language with modern japanese. 'And his strange way of pronouncing the vowels!'

“It’s twenty, just like we agreed.” Miroku proceeded to count the crewmembers, slowly. Inuyasha studied each of them. When his gaze fell on her he scowled and shook his head.

“ _Not h’r_.” He said.

“What?” She said, nearly at the same time as Hojo and Miroku.

“ _Yond miko is f’rebiden at mine ship_.” He grumbled, turning away.

Miroku had to balance Hojo’s tantrum and Inuyasha’s, in a true show of diplomacy. Kagome took the time to wonder how much she really wanted to partake in the expedition. This was her last chance out.

“It’s alright!” She shouted. “I can stay here! You guys go!”

Hojo brushed her comment aside. “He already spent the money we paid him. Now he has to take you.” He informed her. “It’s solved.”

And they were off to load their luggage and equipment on the boat. She steered clear off Inuyasha’s path, which meant she ended up on the stern as they sailed away from the dock. Anxiety flooded her chest as the mainland grew further and further away.

A girl came to stand next to her while she scrolled on her phone. “We’re not going to have signal out there.” She stated, not really a question.

“I already said my goodbyes.” Kagome said, unable to look away from the sight of civilization.

The girl popped a bubble of gum. “Right.” She said, and locked her phone. She finally looked up and smiled. “I’m Sango. Security detail.” She said, pointing at her uniform.

Kagome introduced herself with a bow.

“So you’re with Hojo?” The girl asked, unashamed at her bluntness. Kagome’s expression was answer enough. She laughed. “Yeah, I got that vibe from you two.” She said.

Already Kagome felt like she knew the girl. Her voice was strong and a bit throaty-she made no efforts to make her tone sweet and high pitched. She liked that. Sango also had a local accent, which led her to ask -

“Have you met youkai before?”

Sango snorted. “Yeah. We specialize in security against them.” She noticed Kagome’s unease. “Oh they’re not as dangerous as all that. Maybe once upon a time. Nowadays, most are just…” she struggled for a word. “Pompous. And unreasonable, like our captain.”

“I wonder what I did to offend him.” Kagome admitted.

“Oh they’re always like that, don’t take it personally.” Sango said. She was looking at the cloudy sky above them now. “At least the weather is getting better.”

Kagome followed her gaze. The sky was clearing. She examined the thining clouds. For a second one looked like a giant dog, running on air, and then it dissolved in the distance.

It couldn’t be so bad. “Nothing but blue skies ahead.” She said, hopeful.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which...it became poly?
> 
> I'm really pulling stuff from everywhere with the language. Halp.

"Is- is it recording now?" Kagome asked.

Miroku made an affirmative signal with his left hand while he held the camera close to his face with the right.

Kagome tried to push aside her camera shyness, her absolute loathing of being filmed, and the discomfort of her hair sticking to her sweaty back. Big smiles, Hojo had said.

"So we are in our second day in Kageshima, minutes away from the third. Just two giant centipede attacks today, woo-hoo!" Her voice broke in a nervous giggle.

Behind the cameras, Hojo motioned for her to continue.

"So, uh, the island is divided in two factions, sort of. We came in contact with one of the leaders, a cat-something youkai named Toran. He speaks some pretty decent japanese, actually. But again, his vowel pronunciation is peculiar-"

"The story!" Miroku interrupted.

Kagome hesitated. They were supposed to cover linguistics, not their camp drama. "Anyways, allying ourselves with Toran did not work out because he demanded five human sacrifices. We gathered four volunteers, including me, because living in this jungle is just- is just…" she was looking into the bottomless black hole of the camera lens.

Hojo pushed her out of the frame. "The jungle is amazing! The weather is amazing! The expedition is a success! Rest in peace, Kentaro, bro. We miss you!" He said with bounding cheer.

After the filming was done he gave a thumbs up to Kagome. “You were born for the limelight! Just, try to be more optimistic next time. Smile! Everything’s all right!” Hojo said.

It wasn’t. It really, really wasn’t. Soon night would fall on them again. They didn’t have a lair, and Toran’s warning that he would ‘ _englut thyne souls_ ’ was a tempting offer compared to sleeping on the wilderness again.

“Everyone, we found a shelter!” Sango shouted, a few feet away yet almost completely hidden by the thick underbrush. “It’s half an hour of walking uphill, but we can make it before dark. Stick together, leave no man behind, and stay vigilant!” She instructed. Her leadership was the only thing keeping them alive at this point.

Kagome practically ran to her side, jumping over ferns and tree roots. Sango smiled at her antics. “I can hear a stream. Maybe us girls can take a bath when we get there.” She confided.

Kagome’s jaw was agape. “I could kiss you right now.” She admitted.

Sango laughed. “You city folk are really bad at camping. I mean, the centipede attacks are…” The girl trailed off. “But the rest is mosquitoes, bats and critters. Just bigger.”

Kagome tried to hide how she was panting from the climb. “I’m an indoor plant.” She said, hoping that conveyed her meaning.

One of the filming crew guys had gone ahead and found another shelter. A small house, overgrown by plants. Small, but it had a full roof, an outhouse, and was shouting distance from the river. ‘Perfect!’ Kagome thought, unphased at how much her standards had dropped in under forty eight hours.

Everyone scrambled to squeeze inside, but Sango was skeptic. “Do you see that?” She asked Kagome, pointing at a wooden beam. “Look at the edge. That was cut with a chainsaw.”

“Ah, mistress exterminator is a carpenter.” Miroku said, suddenly appearing behind them.

Sango fussed, uncomfortable as she always seemed in the presence of the filmmaker. “I’m just saying, it’s strange. The construction is new and fully functional, but it’s deserted.”

Kagome was aware they were having some sort of power struggle or internal exchange. Frankly, she was too tired to care. “Are we staying here or not?”

“Let’s go for that bath.” Sango said. She shot Miroku a dirty look. “If I catch you, or any of your crew peeping-”

“It will be the last thing we see.” Miroku finished for her.

Sango raised her hand. “Don’t interrupt me, ever. If I catch you being perverts, I will strand you, and let this island do its work.” She said, and it was a much more terrifying threat.

Her threatening aura completely disappeared when they found a tiny hot spring, hidden by rocks and bushes. The other side was a deep cliff, looking out over the orange tinged ocean. They were safe.

Sango sunk in up to her shoulders and groaned with relief. “We’re going to stink when we get out, but this is worth it.” She said in a dreamy sigh.

Kagome nodded, rocking lazily as she did. She’d been wound up even in her sleep since arriving to the island. “Thanks for looking out for me.” She said, after reflecting a little.

Sango splashed her. “Don’t mention it! Us girls have to stick together.”

Then they were splashing each other in the silliest fashions, and something light and tender flared up in Kagome’s chest. ‘Don’t be weird.’ She reminded herself. But Sango noticed her slip up; here, naked, some part of her had betrayed her.

“We’ll take another bath tomorrow.” Sango said as she reached out to tuck a strand of Kagome’s hair behind her ear. She ran the back of her hand over her cheek, drawing closer and closer to Kagome’s mouth. She trailed her knuckles over her lips, twice.

Kagome’s heart felt so big and heavy in her chest that she couldn’t breathe, not really. She tilted her face away. “Then we can’t stay at the haunted house.”

Sango’s eyes widened as she remembered. “We have to get everyone out.” She practically jumped out and was balancing over the thin ledge to reach her clothes.

Kagome did likewise. She had the brilliant idea to put her boots on before her pants, and although they legs were wide, the boots wouldn’t fit. She wiggled her leg free-

And then she lost her footing.

It was an instant, and it was a lifetime. She heard Sango’s scream, and how she extended her arms toward her. She saw the ground come up. Her body impacted the cliff, and she rolled as she fell to the unknown beneath.

Then she got tangled up in some vines that softened her landing -actually, not that far from the hot spring. She wasn’t dead. Now she just had to hike back to the camp half naked. ‘On hindsight, death doesn’t sound so bad.’ She realized.

It was some good five minutes of ripping the lime green vines away before she could set foot on land. Shit, she hadn’t even shaved. She looked up from her own body to find another.

A man- no, no, a youkai with hair the color of moonlight. He was wearing a rare assortment of armor and fur over white clothes that appeared -well, kind of moth eaten. He was observing her with undisguised melancholy.

“ _Felan intermisit_.” He said, in smooth baritone.

It was something between inquiry and lament. He examined her openly, and then he cocked his head to the left, as if gesturing to the path over his shoulder.

Kagome was frozen. She didn’t know how to fight a youkai; or when to trust him; not even how to return to her camp. Most importantly, she hadn’t a clue what he had said.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which it finally happens

He hadn’t answered her request for help returning to her camp, and, unsure of what to do, she had followed him. It had been her turn to be speechless and confused when they’d found a dark haired man in their path, who out of nowhere attacked Sesshomaru with tentacles.

Their fighting had been skilled, to be sure. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a rather flowery show of prowess and grace. Had it been play fighting? she’d scratched her head in wonder and flinched in pain. Kagome saw her hand come away bloody.

“Sesshomaru.” she had said weakly as she collapsed, because it was the only youkai word she’d learned.

That led to her waking up later in his dilapidated castle. She wasn’t sure what exactly led to him licking at her wounds and scratches, his cascade of silver hair surrounding them. But it was the sting of his saliva that led to her twisting in his hold, and her breast falling out of her bra cup.

Sesshomaru’s pupils dilated, and she noticed too how the irises where reflecting light. He reached out and caressed her breast, almost reverent. She was struck with the beauty of this inhuman creature.

Thunder rolled outside, and Kagome flinched, unwittingly pushing her breast into his hand. Well, maybe not that innocently. ‘I might very well die on this island.’ She reasoned. ‘Why not get a good bang at least?’ She could always tell herself later that it had been the head injury that made her do it.

She drew away from his touch only enough to unclasp her bra. And then for good measure she took his hand in hers again and placed it over her left breast. ‘There, the universal language’. 

Sesshomaru’s smile was the most wicked thing she’d seen, and for a second she was frightened of having made a bad decision. However he youkai bent down and licked her free breast with a tenderness that had her heart skip several beats.

His hand, meanwhile, pinched at her nipple, cupped her roughly, treats her savage.

Kagome wasn’t sure if he took off his armour when she was unconscious but she was glad of it. Her boots were gone too, so she was free to turn to him, spread her legs and quite boldly display the moisture that already made the fabric cling to her vulva.

He broke apart from her breast, sniffed the air and dove between her legs. He was nuzzling against her cotton panties, and the delicious friction made Kagome whimper. His hands were at her thighs, kneading her sore muscles as well as keeping her legs apart. It was dizzying how good it felt to have his warm breath against her core, his lips pressing madly against her.

“Unscr’d’de.” He commanded, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Kagome tried to repeat the world, feeling dumb. Sesshomaru sighed, sat back and began practically ripping away at his many layers of clothes. 

She had made a good choice on this one. He revealed a lithe but muscled torso, powerful arms. She wanted to be between between those strapping legs so badly, and stradling the pinkish head of his gorgeous cock. It took her awhile to notice he was looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh! Unscr’d’de!” She mimicked the sound better this time. She also wiggled out of her panties and socks, quite eager.

Sesshomaru walked behind her and slapped her buttocks, keeping them in firm grasp. He was pushing her forward, and Kagome fell on all fours. She hadn’t even found her balance in the new position when his mouth was on her again.

His tongue darted forward in long licks to her nether lips. His saliva tingled there too, a little. Kagome jumped at the unexpected tickle, and he gripped the sides of her hips to keep her still.

The lazy laps became harder and more precise. The tip of his tongue played with her clit in short, erratic intervals, and she never felt ready for the sensation that erupted in her at the contact. She was panting and making some sounds from the back of her throat she didn’t know she could make.

Sesshomaru was engrossed with devouring her. He wrapped one arm securely across her lower belly and pulled her hips, higher and higher, until her knees were off the ground, and Kagome had to bend her elbows and rest her forehead on the floor. She could feel the combination of her juices and his saliva, dripping over her sensitive outer lips.

He teased her entrance with his tongue, and then quickly inserted two fingers deeply in her vagina. He didn’t give her rest, pumping in and out of her, exploring her recklessly. Kagome hissed and dug her nails in the floorboards.

His mouth was focused solely on her clit. He left behind his unpredictable tactics, instead flicking it, faster and harder. Kagome felt on the verge of something blissful, and then he pulled away from her.

Sesshomaru maneuvered her onto her back, then he laid over her, resting most of his weight on his bent arm. He offered his free hand, coated with her juices, and Kagome licked it, uncaring that they got on her cheeks.

He looked at her with wonder and a deeper lust, no doubt getting new ideas. He grumbled something that almost sounded like “sw’t l’ss”. Then he was licking her stained face, kissing her, while his hand went back inside her and plunged into her with harder movements.

She mewled her discontent when he pulled out yet again. But it was merely to guide his heavy cock to her entrance. His eyes bore into Kagome’s as he thrust just inch-deep, and pulled back half that. In that slow, torturous fashion he penetrated her, until he was buried to the hilt. He gave one more little push and she felt full, taut, and wonderful.

They began at a slow pace, which quickly deteriorated to a maddened dance. She tried to match Sesshomaru’s pace and he groaned his approval. In reward, one of his hands went to play with her nipple just how she’d liked it before.

Kagome didn’t bother quieting her moans. Who was to hear them in the remote wilderness? There’s the sound of the rain outside, and the wind howling. The sound of his thighs slapping against hers too, and their combined heavy breathing.

She splayed her hands over his chest, delighting on his builds. “Those are lovely pecs.” She admitted, running her thumb over his nipple, which puckered slightly.

And because he couldn’t understand, she rambled. “You know what would be the best though? If while you had me like that-” a moan rippled through her as he reached a spot that felt so right inside her.

She rested her weight on her elbows so she could better see the way he fucked her. Her core was short of weeping for him. Her mouth dried at seeing his mighty cock impaling her, and she bounced her hips to keep his tempo.

“If you had me just like that,” she continued “as I had some breasts to suck on.” Her face colored for a second, because she’d never said something of the sort out loud. She thought of Sango’s breasts at the spring, and how the water lapped just below, caressing her waist.

She wondered too if the girl was safe out there. Her gaze was drawn to the opaque window, through which she heard the howling wind of the typhoon.

Sesshomaru caressed her cheek and turned her face back to him. She nuzzled against his hand, and he bent down to kiss her forehead, strangely sweet. Then he grabbed the backs of her thighs, pushed her knees to her shoulders, and rammed into her harder.

Her head lolled back; she couldn’t catch her breath. The friction was too much, the way he filled her completely. Kagome felt her body locking down, tensing.

Sesshomaru bent down to nibble at her exposed throat, and he playfully bit at her neck, while his attack on her pussy only got more violent. 

And suddenly Kagome was pushed over the edge. The tension exploded from her. Vaguely, she felt a wave of liquid seeping from her as she came down from her high. She fell limp on the floor and looked up at her beautiful youkai. He pulled out a very much erect member, and locked amber eyes with hers as he stroked the head.

With his free hand, he gestured for her to turn over.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is in honor of InuYasha Pride Month 2020 and all the disaster bis out there

Sango looked for Kagome. She really did.

She climbed down to where she could have fallen, and found nothing but a tangle of vines, but no Kagome. She called for her, screamed her name. The rocky terrain meant there were no tracks to follow.

Truth was, the sun was setting and they hadn’t brought a flashlight. Sango tightened her jaw, closed off her heart, and walked back to camp. Kagome was a smart girl. There was a chance she was fine.

It was quickly getting dark by the time she got to the camp. Even so it was clear something was off. Light emanated from inside the house; the warm glow of candles or a brazier. And the laughter of many men, and as many women -despite the fact that Kagome and er had been the only girls at the expedition.

The detail jarred Sango so much she didn’t notice Miroku approaching. The guy merely tapped her shoulder and on instinct she grabbed his arm and twisted it behind him.

He stifled a cry of pain. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you,” he whispered.

“What’s going on?” Sango demanded, keeping her voice low too.

Miroku shook his head. “Just, whatever you do, don’t go in there.”

From inside the house, the women were singing a merry tune. She felt a strange ardour in her veins, and knew that if she turned again to see the cabin, the fear would become a pull to go closer.

Miroku turned on the flashlight in his hand with a click, grabbed her wrist firmly, and led them in the opposite direction. They were a hundred paces away before he spoke again.

“After you and Kagome left, a guy from the linguistics team said he heard a girl crying. They thought you two were in danger and wanted to check it out, uh, maybe catch you girls bathing. I told them about your warning, but they wouldn’t listen. On any case, you hardly seem the type to cry,” Miroku explained while keeping his eyes ahead.  
‘I do cry,’ Sango felt the urge to correct him. “What then?” She asked instead.

“They returned with three women who said they had been stranded here for weeks. Beautiful, all of them, and so grateful to be rescued.” He cleared his throat. “This will sound strange, but their clothes -or their hair rather, seemed strangely old fashioned.”

The meaning was clear. “Youkai,” she said.

She could faintly see the outline of Miroku’s head bobbing in agreement. “Next time I looked there were four instead of three. Then suddenly six. But the men didn’t seem to notice.”

Sango cursed under her breath. It was likely all an illusion from a deceitful youkai, luring the men with their lust. Then a cold gust of mistrust came over her.

“Miroku?” she called. “How come it didn’t work on you?”

He paused and turned to her, actually looking offended. “I’m not an illusion.” He grumbled, then he snapped his fingers. “If I were, I’d be charming right? So I wouldn’t remind you of that catcall I gave you on the ship, would I? Look, I still have the bruise,” he said, pointing at his chin.

Sango couldn’t see it with the weak light of the torch, but she trsuted him. “Yeah, I suppose a lust youkai would be handsome at least,” she concluded, crossing her arms.

Miroku released a nervous chuckle, shifting from foot to foot. “There’s an explanation for both things, I’m afraid. I don’t feel attraction for women. Or anyone, for that matter,” he said.

It fit with him, somehow; but that didn’t leave him off the hook. “So, what? You harass women to look macho in front of other guys?”

“I apologize. Some men expect that from their peers, but it's not excuse enough.” Miroku grimaced. “I really needed Hojo to trust me. This project is immensely important.” He shot a worried glance over Sango’s shoulder, in the general direction of the cabin they were escaping from. “Or was. So, where’s Kagome? How do we regroup?”

It was Sango’s turn to be discomforted. “We got separated. Kagome fell down a ravine. When I got to the bottom she was just...gone. No trail.” She sighed, feeling prickly desperation crawling back into her skin. “I tried to look for her, but it was getting dark,” she mumbled, pressing her face into her hands. Oh, why did she have to fall?

“That’s worrisome,” Miroku admitted. “But not conclusive. Maybe she’s hiding somewhere, waiting for help.”

Sango nodded, willing herself to believe that. “We need to rescue the others,” she acknowledged at last. “The two of us can’t make it alone.”

Miroku hummed in agreement. “Plus, they have the provisions,” he supported.

While Sango pulled her hunting knife from her harness, Miroku produced a taser from his pocket. It wasn’t much. “Let’s get some stones that we can throw at them at least. Hopefully if we make the youkai mad, the spell will drop and the crew will snap out of it.”

Before she could turn away, Miroku extended a tissue to her. “To drown out the siren song,” he said with a small smile.

Kagome was awake long before she made up her mind to get up. ‘It’s all going to be sore, isn’t it?’ she thought, resigned. She rolled out of the silky bedding, pushed off Sesshomaru’s fur pelt that seemed insistent on sticking to her skin.

“Sesshomaru?” she called as she wondered around the neglected palace rooms. Every single one of her muscles ached in protest, right down to her biceps. Her face grew warm as she recalled their encounter last night. Not very verbal after all.

Rain pattered on the roof above her head. Sesshomaru's dwelling wasn’t in the best state, although there were no leaks, thankfully. ‘Too youkai to care,’ she thought, reusing Miroku’s phrase. But thinking of Miroku meant thinking of Hojo, and the expedition ―and Sango, who might still be looking for her.

‘I’ll go and get Sesshomaru, tell him to get me to camp somehow, and say I couldn’t return earlier because of the weather,’ Kagome decided.

She’d seen a chest overflowing with clothes in one of the rooms, and she returned to it. There were beautiful robes, embroidered with strange motifs, in the shades of every known jewel. The cut was strange to her. Mostly, she wasn’t good at putting on kimono by herself. 

When she was content enough with her results, she returned to exploring the castle in search of Sesshomaru. She found a stairwell, and contentedly ran down the steps.

Until she heard a voice which was definitely not Sesshomaru. Kagome went still.

“No, Asami failed at the last minute to eliminate the expedition; it’s quite disappointing,” the man said. His voice was muffled by the rice paper walls, but there was no mistaking the fact that he’d spoken in modern japanese.

There was silence for a while. 

Kagome controlled her breath and walked towards the source of the voice, being as quiet as possible.

“Then double the amount you’re offering to bribe Takegawa. We need him to accept by the end of this week.” 

Again no answer. ‘Is he talking on the phone?’ Kagome wondered. Reality felt warped around her. Did this ancient palace on a forgotten island have a landline? What was even going on?

Her legs felt shaky, but she pressed on.

There was just the sliding door separating the man and her now. She could almost make out his shadow as he paced around the room. He spoke in youkai language next, shattering any hope that it was a human. “Stand’n, we f’ran hôs” he said, or something of the sort.

Then the door was thrown open, revealing a dark haired male with one of those old, brick cell phones against his ear. His red eyes examined her with mirth, and he chuckled.

‘It’s the same guy Sesshomaru was fighting yesterday’ Kagome realized.

He hung up on his call, and placed the phone between the lapels of his robe. “Well, the cat is out of the bag now, isn’t it?” he asked. “You may call me Naraku.”


End file.
